Shifts like Gravity
by Forbidden-savior
Summary: Highschool AU. Emma is bored of her small town life in Storybrooke. She wants a change and may finally be getting it when mysterious Regina Mills comes to town. Becoming fascinated with another the two grow close. But Regina has a secret. Will it affect the odd gravitational pull they feel for each other?
1. Chapter 1

**No idea where this came from, I just wanted a highschool AU ans suddenly this appears on my screen.**

**Disclaimer: Tinkerbell would still have her wings if I owned Once. **

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_"Oh my God! Shes a freak!" the crowd screams, running away from the scene_

_"Let me through! Damn it, move!" Emma pushes her way through the crowd, running in the opposite direction than everyone else. "Regina!" she calls out, her heart clenching. She just hoped she could get to her in time._

_More screams echoed through the air, people running faster to safety. To be safe from her, she was what they were running from. The outsider. The monster. _

_####_

Her alarm still ringing in her ear, Emma sleepily spits and rinses her mouth out of toothpaste. Moving on to turn on the shower overhead, she nearly trips over a toy truck sitting in front of the tub. "Damn it." She mutters, catching herself against the towel rack before her face connects to the surface. "Henry! If you leave your stupid toys out again I swear I'm gonna kick you're a-"

"You really want to finish that sentence?" Mary Margaret crosses her arms, leaning against the bathroom door as she lifts an eyebrow at her daughter.

"….action figures. I was going to kick his action figures…out of the way so no one else will get hurt." Emma smiles sweetly.

"Uh huh. Hurry up and get dressed. You're not going to be late for the first day of school." Her mother continues her way downstairs.

Emma releases a huff of breath and quickly strips down to get into the shower.

"Emma. Grace. Swan, get down here! Now!" Mary Margaret calls up the stairs, setting a plate down in front of Henry.

Emma bounds down the staircase, pulling her jacket over her shoulders. "Ok, ok." She walks over to the kitchen island where her family is seated. She kisses her father's cheek and ruffles her little brother's hair before picking up a few waffles. Biting into them she doesn't break her stride towards the door.

"Where are you going?" her mother asks.

"Um, school? You know, the place you said I couldn't be late too?"

David chuckles under his breath but ceases after a look from his wife. "Don't you think you should wait for Henry?" she asks.

Emma glances at her brother, who was taking his sweet time shoveling eggs into his mouth. "If I wait on him the school year will be over."

"Emma…" Mary Margaret warns.

Emma sighs dramatically. "Fine." She sets her backpack down on a chair. "Hurry up kid." She nods to the eleven-year-old. He grumbles but eats a bit quicker. Emma began to grow restless after waiting less than three minutes. "Ok, I'm out." She scoops her backpack up again.

"No! Wait, I'm done!" Henry swallows the last of his breakfast and hops off the stool. David watches amusedly as his son races to grab his backpack and join his sister at the door.

"Have a good first day!" Mary Margaret calls out. Henry smiles and waves but Emma just stalks out the door without a glance back. Her mother sighs after the door slams shut.

David rubs his wife's back, pecking her on the cheek. "You know how teenagers are, give her time."

"She's seventeen-years-old David. She should be past this kind of faze by now, maturing into a young adult." She grasps her husband's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"I know. But we can't rush her into these kinds of things. I'm sure she'll grow up when she really needs to. But for now, we should let her stay a kid for as long as she can." They exchange a smile.

####

"Hey wait up!" Henry jogs up besides Emma, huffing. "You walk too fast." He grumbles.

"You should grow longer legs." She counters, smirking. They continue their walk through the small town, waving to a few people. Storybrooke had remained in the same state for as long as anyone could remember. The buildings residing here haven't changed their window displays since 1995, nor have they been painted. It was safe, enclosed place. Emma thought it was downright boring.

"Is sixth grade fun?" Henry asks, kicking a rock along the sidewalk.

"Depends on which teacher you get. If you get Mrs. Potts then you'll have the best year. But if you get Miss. Tremaine your life will be hell."

Henry wrinkles his nose. "I hope I get Mrs. Potts then. Who did you have?"

"Who do you think? No way was I staying in Tremaine's class. If you're unlucky enough to get stuck with that witch let me know and we can talk to Principle Kronk." She smiles down at her baby brother, sliding her arm over his shoulder.

The siblings part ways once they reach school grounds. Storybrooke Academy was a large, peeling, brown building that housed grades sixth through twelve. Emma hated the place with burning passion, if one thing was more boring than the place itself is the faculty.

Walking through the dusty halls to her locker, Emma nodded greetings to the teachers she passed, wanting to end her high school experience with a clean record. Her previous years here usually resulted in multiple detentions and a few expulsions. So this year she was determined to stay out of as much trouble as she possibly could.

Slamming her locker door close, she comes face to face with Ruby. "Shit! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she exclaimed, resting her hand over her chest.

Her best friend laughs. "Not my fault, I was calling you but you wouldn't answer."

"Oh. Speak louder then." She grins, starting to make her way to her first class.

"Whatever. Hey, have you seen the new girl yet?" Ruby asks, snapping her gum.

"What new girl?" Emma pushes open the door to her class and freezes. Sitting in the second row was a girl she had never seen before. A girl she would've definitely remembered if she had. She kept her head down, shoulder length dark hair tucked behind her ear.

Ruby grins at her friend, popping a loud bubble. "_That _new girl."

As she, along with the rest of the room, stared at her Emma couldn't help but think that this year was about to become one hundred percent more interesting.

##

The more students that piled into the room, the more people there were to stare at her, the mysterious new senior girl. Regina avoided all eye contact, positive if she had people would have immediately be able to tell that she was different. Mother had told her not to draw attention to herself and she was pretty sure having half a school gawking at her was the exact opposite of that order.

A blur of black and blonde slid into her peripheral. A girl with red highlights streaked into her hair had taken a seat beside her, a blonde girl in the seat after that. Regina kept her eyes on the wooden desk, using all her willpower not to look at her visitors.

"Hi. I'm Ruby and this is Emma. You're obviously new here so we could show you around." The girl, Ruby, said in a friendly tone.

Regina allows herself to peak a fraction of an inch to look at the girl. She was pretty from what Regina could tell, slick black hair highlighted with red. "That would be nice." She replies softly. What harm could a tour do?

Ruby smiles. "Great!" she turns from her and bends down to take out her books from her bag, putting the blonde girl into her line of view.

Regina eyes widen as she takes her in. She was a different kind of pretty than Ruby, a more defined state of attractive. The girl shoots her a small smile, no teeth showing. Blinking, Regina returns it evenly.

Before either of them could even think of what to do next, Ruby was sitting back up right, blocking the girl back out of her sight. Their teacher, Mr. Jaq, walks in and the rest of the room takes their seats. Regina notices that no one else takes a seat close to her, all seated at a reasonable distance.

The class gets started and Regina silently prays that he won't introduce her to the rest of the class, or worst, have her stand up and do it herself. But Mr. Jaq shoots through introductions of units without a single glance in her direction. They are passed out new textbooks and of course the forever re-used syllabus.

Class flies by, the bell ringing to usher them along to their next class. Regina stands to gather her backpack, feeling almost every eye on her. She tries not to blush and keep her head held high.

"Do you know where your next class is?" Ruby smiles at her, batting her lashes a bit.

Regina blinks then nods. "Thank you for your help." She smiles quickly, glancing at Emma before weaving through the desks and out the door.

##

A scent of apples lingers behind her path. Emma resists the urge to close her eyes and inhale deeply. She turns to Ruby, who is staring out the door in a daze. "Rubes? Ruby hellooo?" she waves a hand in front of her face, starling her friend back to reality.

"Huh?"

"You kinda just zoned out there."

"Oh, um…yeah sorry." Ruby's face turns a light pink.

"This about the new girl?"

"Maybe…" Emma was no stranger to her best friends' ever-changing preferences. It seemed that new girl had captured Ruby's attention. And knowing her friend, she wasn't going to give in until she got what she wanted.

Her next few classes past by quickly and Emma had almost forgotten about the girl until she walked into her third period and spotted her near the picture window. Releasing a shaky breath, Emma makes her way over.

"Hi." She greets awkwardly.

She jerks her head up quickly, chocolate eyes wide. Emma had to compose herself when her face was fully exposed towards her. If from a side view she was pretty, looking at her square on made her nothing less than beautiful.

"Hi …we had meet in first period…I'm E-"

"Emma. Yes I remember." She speaks softly, eyes taking in her stance. Emma forces herself not to shiver at the sound of her name rolling off the girls' full red lips. "Nice to meet you." She says quietly, extending her hand out

Emma smiles, taking it into her own. A flow of electricity shoots between them but not a harmful feeling. It was warm, solid, different "Nice to meet you too..." She realized she didn't even know her name. "I'm sorry but what's your name exactly?" she pulls her hand away slowly, fingering tingling from the contact.

"My name is Re-"

"Whoa! New girl!" A loud voice interrupts her. They both turn to see a small group of boys walking towards them.

Emma rolls her eye. "Jefferson do everyone a favor and go be a dick somewhere else." She scowls at him, crossing her arms.

Jefferson merely grins. "Gladly. But first I just gotta meet the new girl I've heard so much about." He perices around Emma and grins. "Just like I've been hearing all day. Damn girl." He gives her a once over and fist bumps with one of his friends.

Emma grinds her teeth together. She should've known these scumbags would be lurking to get a look at the girl. Emma felt sorry for her; they definitely won't leave her alone now that they know she looks like that.

"Where you from?" asks Killian, the only one worst than Jefferson himself.

The girl stares up at him unfazed. "I believe that's my business." She replies. Emma's eyebrows rise.

Even Jefferson looked a bit shocked. The only person to ever snap at him was Emma. "I could always make it my business." He grins cockily, leaning over her desk.

"I suggest you leave." The girl speaks firmly though Emma thought she could detect a slight tremble in her voice. She grips the edge of the desk tightly, like she was holding it to restrain herself.

"Yeah? Whats going to happen if I don't?" he leans closer as his friends snicker behind him. Emma's hands clench into fists.

The girl stares him down, her once warm chocolate eyes turning into an icy glare. Emma saw a flash in them and suddenly Jefferson had yanked his hands from the table, screeching. He and his crew speed walk to their seats, looking at Jefferson's now scorched hands, the skin a deep pink and peeling where he had been burned.

Emma glanced between Jefferson and the desk. That was the only surface he had touched before being burned. She stares at the girl, eyes narrowing; could she have had anything to do with this?

She catches her eyes and her lips twitch slightly. "Do you still want to know my name?" she asks.

"As long you don't burn me." She said it teasingly but she had a feeling this was far from a joke.

The girl's lips twitch again in amusement. "I'll do my best. I'm Regina." She offers a smile. Regina…the name swirls through Emma's mind, etching itself onto the walls of her memory. She returns the smile and takes a seat beside her as the teacher enters the room.

In the corner of the room Jefferson's burns have suddenly disappeared, replaced with two pink scars. He stares at his hands in amazement then looks up to see Regina watching him with an amused smirk. His eyes narrow, something about that girl just wasn't normal.

The lunch bell rings and the class files out, Regina taking her time to put her things away so she wouldn't have to face the stares. Stupid. She thinks back to her stunt with the boy, Jefferson, how could she been so careless with herself on the first day of school? Surely that would start rumors immediately.

Sighing, she turns and startles, not expecting anyone to be with her. But Emma was standing in the door frame, a small smile upon her lips.

"Do you want to sit with me? Well, me and Ruby." She ducks her head shyly, sliding her hands into her front pockets.

Regina nods. "I'd like that. Thank you." Though she was nervous about the various ways she could fail and ruin everything, being with Emma calmed her for a reason she couldn't explain. Perhaps she should stick close to her and her friend with the highlights, besides normal girls have friends right? She smiles as she realized that she just made her first official friend in Storybrooke and it didn't hurt, Regina thinks, that she was an extraordinarily beautiful one.

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**Sorry if this started out a bit dull. I just wanted to post it to see if I should continue...?**


	2. Chapter 2: Freak

**Thank you for actually liking this...whatever it is I'm writing. So for the wait and it being so short. Finals are killing me! **

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The pair wordlessly starts down the quiet hallways, unsure of what to say. "So…" Emma starts, biting her lip, "Where are you from?"

Becoming distracted by the blondes' gesture Regina almost forgets her Mothers warning. "I-It's not a common place, you probably have ever heard of it." She says quickly, adverting her eyes.

Emma's eyebrows furrow. That was a bit strange…but she senses that Regina isn't the kind person who can be pushed into giving personal information. "Ok…" she stuffs her hands into her front jean pockets. "Then can you at least tell me which part of town you live in?" she hoped that wasn't being to pushy.

Apparently it wasn't. "The north side. Near where the forest starts." That had been the few pleasant accommodations out of the sudden move, the vast forest was one of the few places Regina felt safe. Free.

Emma nods. "That's a good part of town. It's pretty quite out there though." She tries to make small talk as they walk down the hall.

Regina nods. "It's peaceful. I can clear my mind there." She admits quietly. She feels Emma's eyes on her but keeps her own straight ahead. They reach the cafeteria and Regina pauses. "I-I don't think I should go in…" she bites her lip.

Emma doesn't ask the thousand questions swirling around her head. Instead she smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry; I'm sure only a few people will even look your way." She lies, knowing full well that the entire school is whispering about her.

Regina shakes her head, sensing the truth. "No. Thank you for trying but I think it's best if I eat somewhere else." She backs away from the door and starts a light run back to the isolation of the classroom.

"Regina!" Emma calls out, stretching out an arm to the retreating figure. She sighs, glances back at the cafeteria doors before running after her.

After minutes of searching she stumbles across the girl huddled in front of a row of lockers, knees pulled into her chest. She looked small…breakable.

"Hey." Emma speaks quietly.

Regina startles up at her. "Why didn't you go in the cafeteria?" Her voice rages in genuine confusion.

Emma slides down beside her. "They didn't have anything good for lunch." She shrugs and gives her a small smile.

Regina returns it, feeling she made an excellent choice in choosing her first friend.

##

When they walk into the gyms adjoining locker room the stares Regina had dodged earlier doubled in intensity. Especially since she had arrived with Emma Swan, StoryBrooke's known rebel.

Ruby looks up from her bag, eyes wide. She bounces over to them, smiling at Regina. "Hey, I missed you guys at lunch. Where were you?" her gaze shifts to Emma, eyes flashing.

"We were down by the lockers. Regina got a bit nervous." Emma glances to her, giving her a smile. Regina returns it gratefully.

Ruby watches the gesture with narrowed eyes. "I would've been more than happy to come with you. I got stuck sitting with Jefferson and his posse. I swear I got groped more times than I could count." She rolls her eyes. Regina's fingertips begin to tingle at the sound of his name. She rolls her fingers into fists by her side.

"Sorry. Next time we'll be sure to invite you, Rubes." Emma replies, not really planning on it.

"Yes. How rude of me not to think of you." Regina adds in though she didn't regret her forgetfulness in the slightest.

Ruby's eyes soften at the sound of Regina's voice. "Right. No yeah I totally get why you didn't want to come in." she waves a hand nonchalantly. "Kids here can be pretty judgmental." She places a hand on Regina's arm. "But I'm here if you need a friend." She smiles sweetly, batting her lashes.

Emma rolls her eyes; she really hoped Regina wouldn't fall for her friends' seductive ways. "Thanks for the speech, Joan of Arc, but we need to change for class." Emma steps pass Ruby towards her locker.

"Sure. I better get started myself." Ruby pulls the bottom of her shirt over her head, revealing a red push-up bra. Not that was rested inside needed much help. She pointedly glances at Regina, whose eyebrows lift at the sudden strip-tease. Turning away she grins at her blonde friend, who was doing her best not to thump her upside the head.

"I...I'm going to change in the bathroom." Regina says quietly, adjusting her bag onto her shoulder. Eyes cast down to avoid the stares still thrown her way; she scurries around the corner to the restroom.

As soon as she is out of sight Emma smacks her friends arm. "Ow! What the hell was that for!?" Ruby clutches her arm as she glares at the blonde.

"That was for making her uncomfortable." Emma replies, sliding out of her pants. "She's already been through a lot today and doesn't need you flashing her every chance you can get." She pulls her PE shorts over her hips, tugging at the string to tighten the fit.

Ruby rolls her eyes. "A little flashing never hurt anyone. Besides, I didn't hear her complaining." She smirks sliding her shirt over her head.

"That's because shes trying to fit it and be polite. God Ruby you probably traumatized her!"

Ruby pulls out a perfume bottle and sprits the air. "I doubt that. Why are you so protective of her innocence all of a sudden?" her eyes narrow.

Emma shrugs, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "I don't know really. She just seemed so… lost and with what happened to Jefferson-"

"What happened to him?"

Emma pauses, unsure of how to explain. "Well uh she kind of-"

"The bell is about to ring." Regina turns the corner, tugging her shirt down. Both Emma and Ruby pause and stare at her momentarily, utterly lost for words at how adorably out of place she looked in the baggy shirt and shorts that were a size to large for her waist.

She walks over to the door pausing to look back at the pair gazing at her. "Well, are you coming?" she smirks.

Emma recovers first, shaking her head clear. "Uh yeah. Come on Rubes." She follows out, paying no mind to her friend still tying her shoelace glaring at the closing door.

Gym class was as horrible as Regina had feared. Not only were people staring and whispering but she had to participant in physical activities as said stares continued. Regina adverts her eyes as she finishes up her stretches keeping her eyes locked on the bleachers in front of them.

Coach Phil blows his whistle loudly near Regina's ear. "Alright. Head over to the stations and find something to do. I don't wanna see any of you sitting down!" he yells.

Regina flinches and starts looking around for Emma, she spots her talking to a shorter blonde girl accompanied by a wild looking girl with red hair. Tentatively she makes her way over.

Emma turns. "Hey Regina! I want you to meet Tink and Merida." She gestures over to the girls. One looks her over appreciatively while the other just stares.

Regina meets her gaze steadily. "Nice to meet you." She smiles, extending her hand. Only the shorter blonde takes it.

"Hi, I'm Tinkerbelle." She smiles, admitting an accent.

"Your parents named you Tinkerbelle? Why?"

She shrugs. "Not my real name. But I hate it so I used my middle name."

Regina nods, smiling lightly. She then turns to the red-head. "And you must be Merida." She extends her hand out again.

Merida doesn't take it. She lifts her eyes up from her hand. "I heard what you did to Jefferson." Her accent thickens her speech.

"I-" Regina didn't know what to say. Dumbfounded, she looks to Emma helplessly.

"What exactly did you hear, Merida?" Emma pipes up, instinctively stepping in front of the brunette.

Merida's eyes narrow. "When did Emma Swan become such a softie?" she tilts her head to the side, wild curls looking like flames. "And for someone so…different..?" she peeks around her to look at Regina.

Emma's hands clench into fists. "That's none of your damn business whether I got soft or not." She crosses her arms firmly across her chest. "Now answer the question, what did you hear?"

Merida smirks. "Just that Jefferson got has ass burnt after messing with newbie." She nods her head over to Regina, who shrinks back.

"I don't know who told you that but their wrong." Emma replies. Regina's eyes widen. She was protecting her. "Jefferson was messing with Regina, yeah but he ran away after Regina put him in his place. He wasn't burned anywhere though." Emma lies.

Tink's eyes widen. "So if you didn't burn him what made him run from you?"

Regina opens her mouth but Emma beats her to it. "She basically just intimidated him. We all know he's a wuss." She shrugs again.

Tink nods but Merida steps around Emma to stand directly in front of Regina. "Why are you letting you say everything? I want to hear you talk." She pokes her chest hard making the brunette stumble back.

Regina manages to reposition her stance. "I don't have to answer to you for any reason." She quips, eyes flashing.

Emma holds her breath but doesn't move. She hopes Merida would just let it go and move on. But of course the hot-tempered girl bared her teeth and stepped further into Regina personal space. "Now I see what Jefferson meant. You are an arrogant bitch." She sneers, shoving her backwards.

Emma closes her eyes briefly and sighs. When she re-opens she is greeted with the sight of Merida propelling backwards into the gym mats. Her scream echo's off the gym walls. Her back hits the mats and she drops to the floor with a thud. Coach Phil and a few other students race over to help her back on her feet.

She grips Coach Phil's' arm tightly as she tries to stand but falls back to the floor from the dead weight of her broken leg. Her eyes flash murderously at Regina standing alone in the middle of the gym. "You bitch! You are so dead, you psycho freak!" she spits.

Coach lifts her into his arms and walks toward the door. He pauses in front of Regina. "I'll come back for you." He looks at her sternly before exiting.

The room is draped in dead silence as they all gap at Regina. Even Ruby is staring at her in shock and fear. Everyone takes a few paces away from her, except Emma. She watches her with sorrowful eyes, feeling that this whole ordeal is her fault. They lock eyes and Regina's widen with tears.

"Regina…" Emma starts but she shakes her head and runs for the second time today.


End file.
